Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema made a bold move in declaring herself an independent, caucusing with Democrats, because that gets her out of facing an opponent in the Democratic primary as she runs for re-election. Some argue that private equity now has its own political party.
If progressives want to make more progress on legislation, they want more Senators like Joe Manchin and Krysten Sinema, not fewer. That’s because those are candidates who can win in swing states (Manchin is the best Democrats could ever conceivably do in West Virginia!). And with more of them, they’d have a bigger majority, and Manchin and Sinema themselves wouldn’t hold as many cards.
Nonetheless it’s become popular to dunk on Sinema, and she’s taking a lot of heat over a 37 page memo for staffers to meet her preferences.
She likes room temperature bottled water available at all times (honestly, so do I). She likes a weekly hour-long massage. She wants to avoid flying Southwest though they’re a huge carrier in her home state. She starts work at 8:45 a.m. (reasonable) and doesn’t let staffers schedule activities past 8 p.m. without her express approval (also non-crazy!). She doesn’t like weekend work events before 1 p.m.
And her travel preferences turn out to be just like everyone else’s. She “does not like to fly” and asks staffers to pick her preferred seats when she does.
“KS has Executive Platinum status on AMERICAN AIRLINES and sometimes receives an automatic upgrade to first class. Do not rely on this; in the event that she does not get upgraded, it is important that she have a seat she is comfortable with.
First choice: KS prefers an aisle seat as close to the front of the plane as possible, except that she DOES NOT want the bulkhead row. Those seats are smaller than regular seats and are crowded. She also doesn’t want the seat next to/directly in front of the bathroom on planes where there’s a bathroom in the middle of the plane. Look at the seat map for every flight you book, or ask the booking agent about the flight map if you’re reserving over the phone.
KS generally prefers to be closer to the front in a window seat, than further back in an aisle. It saves her time getting off the plane earlier.
Next choice: if you can’t get an aisle seat, get a window seat using the same guidelines as above. This shouldn’t happen often, since you’re booking most flights six weeks in advance.
Last resort: Do everything in your power not put her in a middle seat. If the circumstances are such that a middle seat is the ONLY option, make sure you email KS to let her know and also provide some information about other flights she might be able to take instead that have better seating options. Don’t book so late that middle seats are all that’s left.”
Much criticism focuses on staffers accommodating her personal needs but if you’re going to have Senators, and they’re supposed to be important, then you want their time to be protected. They shouldn’t spend their own time getting Verizon to fix their home internet or doing grocery shopping, they should be reading through 4,155 page bills dropped mere hours before the Senate is expected to vote.
(HT: @crucker)
None of those are unreasonable requests, they’re pretty much my preferences, although I like my water chilled. They appear to be using status that is available to everyone else, and not the “Don’t You Know Who I Am?” approach. Kudos to her for booking six weeks out, when fares are still low, not just dropping taxpayer/donor dollars on last minute 1st Class/Business fares.
Its funny how she’s has turned out given her history. In the early 2000s she was a wacky code pink anti-bush crazy. Now she’s probably the most sane and reasonable person in the senate. It’s funny how with age comes wisdom.
I once saw Senator Vitter from Louisiana digging through the discounted sock bin in a Marshalls store. This wasn’t long after his scandal. I will never forget that. He never did find any good socks.
Wait, why isn’t she asking her staff to reserve EXIT ROW seats? Seems like a blatant omission.
I’ll take this over the frequent name calling of the more politically oriented blog entries.
She is saying book her in First. EP is meaningless other than for ego purposes. (I am EP only because I only book in First.)
I think if I was a US senator, I would just book first class and not rely on being upgraded, or maybe try to coordinate shared private flights with other state reps. It’s not unreasonable for one of the top legislators in the nation.
Chad and Gary, I respectfully disagree!
She’s out for herself. The DAY after the election she stopped taking calls from all the people who got her elected and started hanging with the billionaires. Her name is mud in Arizona and she will be defeated.
She can’t show her face there without an angry mob hounding her.
@Jason B as long as you’re paying the diff out of pocket we’re good. Taxpayers shouldn’t pick up that tab no matter how important a Senator thinks they are. When I want to fly first class I expense the coach price and pick up the difference out of pocket. I don’t make my employer pay for it. The people of Arizona are her employer.
I’m politically not a supporter of hers, but it bugs me when opponents would try to use these specifics as a club to swing at her. If she were openly campaigning against these behaviors then sure call them out, but someone who just clearly articulates their preferences is benefitting those who work for her. Totally agree with you that it’s reasonable to help politicians manage their time and even convenience.
Someone else posted about her post-election behavior. Those types of considerations are valid and much more applicable than trying to tear down someone’s character based on their travel preferences. Honestly I think it’s a mark of a good leader to clearly articulate preferences and give subordinates crystal-clear objectives. Again, not a political supporter, but as a human we’ve got to stop tearing each other down like a bunch of jackals because of political disagreement.
She’s just as disgusting as the airline she likes to fly!!!
I’m 100% with her on these requests although I’d say give me an e-row aisle. Although those are usually further back so I see the logic in her requests.
This is all normal shit, people.
She’s great. If she ever gets stuck in a middle seat next to me, I will happily switch with her.
Not sure the point of this.
She is playing g her cards to the best of her ability
Get elected
Switch to independent
Become a lobbyist and make millions.
I don’t hate the player but dislike the game.
All of her requests are logical and reasonable
As others have said: paying for first class on AZs dime is iffy, but doesn’t look like she is doing that based on this communication
@JorgeGeorge
+1
@JorgeGeorge: Absolutely correct. Whatever a senator’s political views, they are useless beyond measure if they, like Sinema, refuse to speak to their constituents. She doesn’t take calls, ignores letters and emails, and never ever holds a town hall or any kind of event to take or answer questions from Arizonans. I’m not a democrat by any means, but at least Sen. Kelly responds to his constituents. For that, I can respect him, even if I don’t agree wit him. Sinema is garbage and We The People damn sure don’t need any more like her.
I don’t fly AA, but are their bulkhead seats really smaller than other seats??? I haven’t noticed this on other airlines – I always try to get the bulkhead if the exit row is not available.
@Bryce… since bulkhead seats do not have “tray tables” the table is contained in the seat armrest, thus making it more narrow.
Table has to go somewhere… it goes where your butt might have
The needy, attention-seeking Senator from Arizona didn’t make a bold move in declaring herself an “independent”. She knows her failure to represent her Biden-voting voters will bite her in 2024 and lead to her losing.
“If progressives want to make more progress on legislation, they want more Senators like Joe Manchin and Krysten Sinema, not fewer.”?
Come on, the above is the myth peddled by my Club of Growth, still Clinton-bashing buddies who always or nearly always vote against Democrats.
The great political sorting of the country is such that Democrats tend to do better in elections to get power when they stick to their progressive guns than when they stand for nothing. Wishy-washy politics from a political party and its candidates is generally counterproductive to growing the machine and voters needed to win elections.
At least she doesn’t fly private like the climate frauds do.
Haven’t some US airlines denied boarding or even kicked off passengers because of breast cleavage showing on flights? Seems like Sinema gets a pass:
https://www.azmirror.com/2021/10/05/daca-leaders-confronted-kyrsten-sinema-on-flight-at-asu-to-ask-for-her-support-they-got-silence/
She’s another childless white woman trying to tell everyone how to live their lives.
I will ignore, after a great personal struggle, the political matters that could attach to this blog post, save to ask, why Sen. Sinema and why now? I don’t support her but wonder why she’s being singled out since I’ll be most of her colleagues are pretty much the same.
That said: I used to travel from PHX (Sen. Sinema’s home airport) and DCA a lot. I had a corporate HQ in DC and lobbied for my company, so I was on the Hill a lot. It’s not a short flight, seeming endless coming home. During the Winter it’s not too bad, but in Summer +/- 3 hrs a bit wearing.IME most Senators and US Reps. travel to DC on Mondays and home on Fridays. I would certainly want First if I could get it — I did, but that’s because I paid for them. But I remember many a time I would see Sen. Jon Kyl sitting back in coach. Fortunately, most people don’t recognize their elected reps and they get to go hither and yon reasonably unmolested. Not always true in First. If I had an elected rep next to me , I would introduce myself and leave it at that (I was often working w/their staff, and would give a compliment where appropriate). Other times the poor rep would be seated next to a particularly boorish seatmate who would harangue them with their opinions the whole flight.
So, if folk are picky about where they sit, God love ’em. I’m not going to pick on them.
However my main point is this: I always booked my own flights and hotel rooms. Even as a pubco CEO and Chairman, flying >600K a year around the Globe, I kept that practice up. It really doesn’t take much time and I can guarantee you.. even the most diligent of helpers will never get your preferences 100% right.
So, while I don’t criticize Sen. Sinema’s dseire for particular seats, I think she should just do it herself. It’s not hard.